Strategies for Re-Recruiting Existing Staff

The pandemic has shaped the 2020’s to be an era marked by great changes in the labor market. Low unemployment and the Great Resignation are creating a war for talent. The resulting labor shortage causes companies to not only struggle with their recruitment efforts but also increasingly risk losing the talent they already have.

Recruiting efforts need to go beyond the initial recruitment and hiring processes. Organizations should be considering their current employees within their larger recruitment strategy. The war for talent is won by continually showing employees why they should want to work at your organization, while striving to win them over from competing firms.

You can think of it as re-recruitment. Efforts that keep your existing workforce intact can offer a tremendous return on investment. Better employee retention numbers can have a positive impact on external talent recruitment efforts, as organizations demonstrate the value they put into cultivating the happiness and potential of their existing employees.

Keep Your Organization Attractive

“Selling” your organization to your workforce shouldn’t end with onboarding. Know what others are offering and invest the time and resources to keep your organization attractive to your current workforce. Not every company can do everything perfectly, so work to develop and position your unique strengths (i.e.,hybrid work options, flexible schedules, great company culture, etc.) as a way to re-recruit.

Not all perks are made equal either. In a survey of employees who recently left their jobs, nearly half of all respondents reported that taking care of family was one of the primary factors in their decision. A similar proportion of workers who are actively considering leaving their jobs are also motivated by their struggles with family care. Companies that offer onsite childcare, paid leave, or other family-focused benefits are increasingly seen as attractive to prospective employees.

Strategies aiming to keep employees engaged through the Great Resignation should also consider how perks and benefits can be used to incentivize getting your workforce invested in the continued success of your organization. Employees that get paid the same, even during periods of rapid growth, won’t feel particularly loyal. But tying the successes of the company to employee compensation through bonuses, profit-sharing plans, or meaningful celebrations can help you retain top talent and build buy-in on organizational goals and values.

Plan Re-Recruiting Interviews

Re-recruiting interviews can look much like a performance review, but they can go a step further. They offer a chance for management to fully understand individual employees, what they like and dislike about their role, their goals, and the opportunities they want to grow into. Proactively understanding dissatisfaction, along with what your employees are seeking from their work can keep them invested. Regularly scheduled re-recruiting interviews are also an excellent opportunity for management to personally connect and strengthen bonds with their team members.

Re-recruiting interviews should aim to be friendly and collegial, not adversarial. Topics to consider covering with employees in interviews include:

• Their current tasks, and how they align with preferred tasks.
• Level of satisfaction with their role and the organization. Explore opportunities to improve the level of satisfaction.
• The employee’s long-term career goals.
• What the employee looks for in an organization, and their current expectation of longevity with the company.
• How they see themselves contributing to the company’s mission and vision.
• Reviewing levels of performance and productivity.

Communicate Appreciation

The importance of appreciation is easy to understate. Many employees leave their jobs because they don’t feel valued or useful. Your talent recruitment efforts should include regular appreciation and acknowledgment of the value your current employees bring to the table.

Some effective strategies to communicate appreciation include:

• Make praise specific and personal. Rather than a group email complimenting a team on a job well done, it is better to directly tell employees what they do well, and how it is valued.
• Express appreciation in a way your employee prefers. Some prefer the attention of public recognition, like a staff awards event. For others, this is their worst nightmare, and prefer a private acknowledgment of their value. Tuning in to the preferences of different employees ensures your appreciation is given and received well.
• Separate appreciation from constructive criticism. While including affirmation when delivering suggestions to an employee is great practice, it is also important to let some compliments simply be compliments. This allows appreciation to seem more genuine and allows employees to hear the appreciation rather than focusing only on the criticism couched between compliments.

Create Personalized Retention Plans

Motivation to stay in a job or with an organization can vary widely from employee to employee. Effective retention programs should work to address the needs of workers individually. There are many possible solutions. Personalized retention plans can factor in targeted projects and responsibilities, mentorship programs, identifying promotion or leadership track opportunities, offering educational benefits, and offering support in achieving a healthy work-life balance.

Be Ready With a Counteroffer

Even when doing everything right with your re-recruitment efforts, many of your talented workers will still look to move to new opportunities. One way to prepare for this reality is by being ready with a counteroffer. Regular raises may make more financial sense than restarting the talent recruitment process, and a counteroffer strategy could help you keep your valuable workers. You can even use this opportunity to understand why your employee is seeking work elsewhere. Is it just salary? Or is it something else? Understanding your employees’ motivations in your counteroffer strategy can help you refine your re-recruiting strategy and keep your top workers on board.

Is your staffing agency looking to help clients optimize their recruiting and re-recruiting strategies? Contact us today for more on helping your clients make the most of the Great Resignation.